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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

I can't believe I'm posting these...I feel so huge! Still no action over here but I've been putting all of the popular tricks to induce labor into action, so maybe something will happen tonight? Or tomorrow? Or soon? PLEASE!

And, just to give me reassurance that I haven't always looked this whale-like, here is a little 16 week/40 week comparison.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and after being so anxious to see if things were progressing down there, I was a bit disappointed to hear quite the opposite. I wasn't dilated at all! Huge bummer. I also found out that my fundal height hasn't changed in the past few weeks, so they ordered me to get an ultrasound with is scheduled for tomorrow, to be sure everything is ok in there. I'm a little nervous that maybe something is wrong, but praying that everything is ok (and excited that we can hopefully confirm that she is really a she and not a he)! So, ultrasound tomorrow at 8:00am - cross your fingers that everything is ok!

If I don't go into labor on my own by next week Thursday (7/28), they have me scheduled to be induced. I'm really hoping that doesn't have to happen because being induced = drugs and I want to try to steer clear of those.

Anyway...without further ado...here's the rundown for today!

Today's date: Wednesday, July 20, 2011

How far along: 40 weeks...and no sign of this baby wanting to come out!

Sleep: I've been sleeping pretty well, actually. The acid reflux has really diminished, although I still take two tums right before bed. And two more when I wake up around 2:30am to go pee. I haven't even been sleeping propped up, which has been great!Best moment(s) of the week: This is going to sound really silly, but one of the best moments this week was working with Brad to get a frame collage up (more on that in a bit). Its been in the works for a long time now and it was nice to work on a project with hubs again. We used to work on projects together all the time - painting, ripping up flooring, tiling, etc but since I've been pregnant I haven't been able to help with much. So...it was nice to get to work on something together again :)

Movement: She's still wiggling around in there but sometimes I worry that she's not moving as much as she should be. Maybe due to cramped quarters? I don't know!

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing too exciting to report in this department.Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: Still very achey...I think my poor feet and knees are just about at their breaking point.

Labor signs: You would think so, but I really haven't had any BH contractions or anything!

Belly button in or out: Top half only :)

What I miss: I still miss: wearing my wedding rings, being able to see the tendons in my feet, sleeping soundly through the night...in my own bed and on my belly, being of normal body temperature and blow drying my hair.

What I'm looking forward to: Really just want to meet this little girl!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now is as long asaSMALL PUMPKIN!

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds and is about 20 inches long. Her skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

Sleep: I've been sleeping in our bed again and its been great! I still wake up around 2:00/3:00am with some mild acid reflux, pop a Tum, hit the potty and am back to sleep.Best moment(s) of the week: We had another great weekend! Our friends, Andrew & Natasha, came up to visit for the weekend. We didn't do anything too exciting, but it was nice to just catch up and relax with good friends :)

Movement: She gave me a pretty swift punch last night ; )

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing too exciting to report in this department.Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: Just very achey...I think my poor feet and knees are just about at their breaking point.

Labor signs: Unfortunately, I don't think so.

Belly button in or out: Top half only :)

What I miss: I still miss: wearing my wedding rings, being able to see the tendons in my feet, sleeping soundly through the night...in my own bed, being of normal body temperature and blow drying my hair.

What I'm looking forward to: Having this baby...on time, hopefully, although I was told yesterday by one of my doctors that I have at least another week...or TWO! Yikes!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now is as long asaMINI WATERMELON!

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely she already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Friday, July 8, 2011

I can't believe that's already been one month since Molly's wedding, when my last baby bump picture was snapped. I guess I better have Brad take at least one more picture before this little lady makes her debut.

I thought it was time to update the baby bump series with the two latest pictures: 32 & 34.

So funny to look back to mid-pregnancy when I felt so fat : ) I can't believe how much this belly has grown...and, not to jinx myself, but not a single stretch mark (yet), which you know I attribute to the best lotion ever. Pricey, but worth it.

I'll be sure to have my photographer snap a 38 week picture this weekend...and maybe even a 40 week picture if we get that far (which I'm thinking we will since there have been NO signs of labor thus far)!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

I've been feeling rather nostalgic towards Moose these last few weeks, knowing that he's not going to be the center of attention once this little lady makes her appearance. So, I think I've been paying extra special attention to him and have vamped up the Moose photography again :)

He can be such a naughty boy sometimes, but he's such a lover that I can't help but melt when he does things like this...

Mooser - you'll always be our first baby and we're going to try our darnedest not to make you feel like you're second best.

Sleep: I still wake up a few times each night, but have been falling right back to sleep, thank God. And, my work schedule has been pretty flexible, so I'm able to sleep in if I want/need to. The acid reflux hasn't been too bad the past week, so I'm thankful for that, too!Best moment(s) of the week: We had a great weekend! It was productive, fun and relaxing, all rolled into one. My mom came into town on Thursday night, so I got to spend some time with her on Friday - we went outlet shopping in Grove City and then met Brad for dinner. On Saturday morning, we headed out to Greensburg to visit with my Gram & Pap. We had lunch with them and then just 'visited' for the rest of the afternoon. My Aunt and cousins stopped by, so it was great to see them too. We scooted off to get pedicures and were back just in time for a delicious dinner with Gram, Pap, Uncle Chris and Anna. Everything was so good - I could have eaten for days : )

Fast forward to Monday, the 4th (Brad's FAVORITE holiday). I wasn't up for much since I had over-done it the couple days before, but Brad encouraged me to head up to McConnell's Mill with him and some of our friends, for a little outdoor fun. I decided to go and it ended up being a really great afternoon/evening. I brought a lawn chair and was able to just sit and watch - it was great. And, the best part is that it was especially cool because we were covered by trees and near a river. Brad was so happy to be climbing again and I think he needed a break from house projects (even though there's still plenty to be done).

Movement: I think she's running out of room in there, but I can still feel her squirming around.

Food cravings/aversions: I feel like I haven't been eating as much the past few days than I had been. Maybe its the heat?Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: Lots of aches and pains. The acid reflux hasn't flared up in awhile, but that might be because I take precautions when eating (time of day, types of foods) and take two tums before bed.

Labor signs: Unfortunately, I don't think so.

Belly button in or out: Top half only :)

What I miss: I miss: wearing my wedding rings, being able to see the tendons in my feet, sleeping soundly through the night...in my own bed, being of normal body temperature and blow drying my hair.

What I'm looking forward to: Having this baby, of course!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now is as long asaLEEK!

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long. She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.
Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Sleep: Still sleeping on the couch every night even though Brad bought and installed an AC unit in our bedroom. Now its not the temperature keeping me on the couch, its the fact that sleeping in a more upright position is easier on the couch than it is in bed. Sleeping upright seems to help ward off acid reflux attacks, and I'm all for keeping that at bay. The new couch and I have gotten to be good friends :)Best moment(s) of the week: We started and finished painting the nursery! Its still not near being ready for this little lady, but we're making progress and that makes this mamma-to-be very happy! I also washed and folded my first load of baby laundry, which was actually pretty thrilling - everything is so teeny tiny and super cute! Its hard to imagine that she'll actually fit into some of these things...they seem to small!! And, Brad got the swing put together the other night, so that's taking up a lot of space in the living room, now : ) Moose nudges it with his nose and then barks at it. Grrrrreat!

Movement: I had to stop by the auto body shop the other day and while I was sitting in the waiting area, she was moving like crazy! I felt like the lady sitting across from me could see my belly moving if she had looked!

Food cravings/aversions: Still a bottomless pit! I feel like I'm going to have a twelve-pounder with all the food I can consume! Lots of ice cold water, too!Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: Acid reflux off and on and of course, lots of aches and pains.

Labor signs: I don't think so...

Belly button in or out: Pretty much still half and half.

What I miss: I miss sleeping through the night (on my back and stomach), a skinnier body and legs and feet that don't ache all the time. I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore : )

What I'm looking forward to: My mom is coming into town this weekend, so I'm looking forward to some time with her and my Grandma this weekend. And, Brad's favorite holiday of all time is this weekend, so we'll be doing something fun!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now is as long asSWISS CHARD!

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Any of you who know me well, know that I love trips back to Michigan to be with my family and friends, but I have to say that its been really nice staying put these past few weekends. I've been able to get so much done and have been able to get back into a laundry/grocery/cleaning routine, which sounds lame, but makes this girl feel on top of things. I've also been able to tackle a couple projects that have taken a back seat the past few months and last but not certainly not least, I've been able to get some of this baby gear ready!

I can't even tell you how long ago I started Erica started this frame collage wall. I finally had time on Saturday afternoon to measure out the hole placement for the remaining frames! So, the picture you see below are the "frames" that still need to have holes drilled, before I remove the paper place holders. I'm waiting for Brad's help on that since this is along the stairs and these last remaining are not within arms reach for me. Pregnant lady + stairs + ladders = dangerous, I think. So, until Brad has time to help me drill a few holes, it will look like this. Hopefully not too much longer though!

Saturday morning I baked cupcakes for my friend, Katie, who turned 24 on Friday. Such a baby! I just realized today that she's a year younger than my younger brother, which just seems so strange for some reason!

Katie and her husband Rick...our only "couple" friends in Pittsburgh ; ) We grilled up some meat, had our first corn on the cob of the summer and a delicious strawberry + feta salad. Dinner was delicious!

This morning, Brad and I tried out a new church just up the road and afterwards decided to do a little drive by house hunting. We're not looking to move anytime soon, but we always like to see what's out there and discover new areas. This is me sitting in the car, legs up, looking at beautiful houses. Holy belly, huh!?

Once we got back from our three and a half hour house hunting excursion, I had a few things to knock off my list, one of which was to finish up a Pretty Pearl order, to be sent out tomorrow.

I've been really good about menu planning and shopping based on those specific meals. I try to do this on Sundays and get my grocery shopping out of the way, so I don't have to worry about going after work.

The rest of the evening I spent working on baby preparations. First up: Nurse "Thank You" bags. I haven't fully decided what the contents will entail but I do know that they will each include one of the best sugar cookies, from the Clarkston Village Bake Shop. Oh, I wish I had one right now : )

Cute little sticker I whipped up for the front of the bag. I love that little baby head!

On to my first load of baby laundry! I probably won't wash everything right away, but I definitely wanted to get blankets, towels, onesies, mittens, hats, etc washed since that's likely what we'll be using right away. And can I just say that some baby product manufacturers need to think about the packaging they use for their products. In particular, baby socks! They don't need to be secured with those little plastic "tag" holders in THREE different places. Cutting off all of those plastic things, off of multiple packs or sock and everything else, was so annoying!

I think I giggled a little as I was throwing all of her little "things" into the washing machine. Most exciting load of laundry I've ever done : )

And, last but certainly not least...we Brad finally got the nursery painted! We chose an Eddie Bauer color called Flax, that we also used in the kitchen. I know. It sounds weird to paint a baby girls nursery the same color as your kitchen, let alone, tan, but we want it to be more of an understated, feminine look (and we want it to flow with the rest of the house). Hopefully my vision will come together : )

Oh, and we ordered the carpet for the bedrooms upstairs (and the hallways and stairs), so that will be in about a week before my due date. Then we have to schedule the install date, which will probably be days before my due date (assuming she doesn't come early)!

I hope everyone had a relaxing and/or productive weekend too! Get any fun (or not so fun) projects tackled?

Sleep: I think I'm getting used to sleeping on the couch because I've been having more restful nights of sleep. Still a lot of tossing and turning, though. Its hard to move with this big ol' belly!Best moment(s) of the week: Nothing super eventful (which is kind of nice) but I got to have dinner with one of my only Pittsburgh friends last week and its always so nice to catch up with her. This past weekend was pretty low key (which was also kind of nice). Since Brad was sick with a man-cold, we didn't do a whole lot. We got in a lot of movie time, though, which was much needed for both of us, I think.

Movement: Oh, its so fun to feel her moving around in there. I think its gotten to the point that it will be strange to not feel her in there, after she's born, obviously.

Food cravings/aversions: Oh man, I can eat and eat and eat these days.Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: The rib pain has subsided but the lower half of my body is pretty much always achy.

And...maybe TMI, but I shaved my legs last night in the shower and it was quite the chore. I got done and was pretty much exhausted! I guess my belly has grown considerably since Molly's wedding, which was probably the last time I shaved my legs. Ha!

Labor signs: I don't think so.I don't even think I've had any Braxton Hicks contractions.
Belly button in or out: Pretty much still half and half.

What I miss: I miss sleeping through the night (on my back and stomach), a skinnier body and legs and feet that don't ache all the time.

What I'm looking forward to: I can't wait to get started on Charlotte's nursery. Yes, that's right. We haven't even started on it yet...no paint, no nothing! I'm getting a little anxious about it!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now weighs as much as aCRENSHAW MELON(I can't believe I'm in the large melon stages)!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.
At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

This belly is getting big and will only get bigger, since apparently baby is done developing and will just continue to fatten up! I haven't had any stretch marks pop up at this point, but I have a feeling if they're going to happen, its going to be in the next five weeks.

I'll just keep slathering my belly with the best lotion ever* and pray that my skin can stretch just a little more!

Anyway...here is my big ol' belly on Molly's wedding day : )

34 weeks + 3 days

And here are a couple other cutesy pictures that Erica took while we were waiting in the park for the ceremony to start :)

Kind of cliche, but I had to!

I think this will now and always be one of my favorite pregnancy pictures.

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

xoxo,
meghan

* A word about the lotion: If you are my friend and you get pregnant anytime in the near future, expect this lotion as a gift from me to you. Its pretty miraculous, I think. I haven't gotten one stretch mark on this bells yet and trust me, I'm prone to stretch marks. I'm almost out of my first tub so just reordered...can't be without it! Recommend it to all of your pregnant friends. They'll love you for it.

Sleep: I know this is par for the course, but I don't remember the last night I got a restful night's sleep. Actually, I do. It was at my parent's house on May 26th. So, I guess it wasn't that long ago, but it feels like its been too long...and I can't even blame it on a crying/nursing baby just yet. Sleeping the past couple weeks has just been generally uncomfortable.Best moment(s) of the week: Molly & Timmy got married!! Their wedding was on Saturday evening, in a little park downtown Holland, and the weather was perfect. Like, if you could envision perfect outdoor wedding weather, it was what Molly had. I'm sure her mamma had something to do with that : )

Movement: She's movin' and groovin'.

Food cravings/aversions: No weird cravings or aversions but I'm pretty much a bottomless pit these days!Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: Other than a little swelling in my feet, general lower body achiness, and some mild acid reflux, I'm feeling pretty good! I also had some right sided rib pain that started last week. It was pretty painful over the weekend and would hurt every time I laughed, took a deep breath or sneezed but its subsided a bit for now. Again...par for the course.

Labor signs: I don't think so.

Belly button in or out: There were a lot of pictures taken of me this weekend and in a lot of them you can see the ol' belly button poking out, although its still not completely an outie.

My feet were so tired after setting up Molly's reception for 5 hours, that I just wanted to sit down. I got all the way over to this bench to find out that it was wet from the rain. Grr. {Notice the belly button making an appearance!}

What I miss: Getting a good night's sleep.

What I'm looking forward to: I am 100% looking forward to staying put in Pittsburgh until this baby comes. No more trips are planned, so we have five weekends to get our house in order, not to mention the nursery started and finished. Ready, set, go!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now weighs as much as aHONEYDEW(I can't believe I'm in the large melon stages)!

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds. Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Maternity clothes: Basically, whatever is comfortable! Yoga pants, tanks and running shoes these days.Sleep: I've been sleeping on the couch for the past week because it gets way too hot upstairs for me to handle. I miss my bed but would rather be cool at this pointBest moment(s) of the week: Brad and I finally got to spend a weekend at home (in Pittsburgh)! I feel like I've been in Michigan every other week/end and haven't been able to get anything done at our house. So, Brad was able to tackle a lot of the finishing touches on the kitchen, while I caught up on basic household things (laundry, vacuuming, tidying up, etc). I even got ambitious and busted out some interior wall paint to touch up some random marks on the walls throughout the first floor. It felt good to be productive!

Movement: I haven't been feeling her as much in the past two days as I had been. A friend told me once that while she was pregnant she noticed that she would feel her baby move a lot for a week or so and then she wouldn't feel her as much for a couple days and attributed that to her uterus growing, and thus the baby having more room. So, that's what I write it off as, so I don't worry myself too much.

Food cravings/aversions: There's still nothing that I crave or despise BUT I figured out what caused me such unpleasant acid reflux a couple weekends ago in Grand Rapids...Italian sausage! It was on the pizza I ate the first night I ever experienced AR. I didn't have it again until we got home, I cooked some pasta with Italian sausage in it, and had AR again that night. So...no more sausage for me for 6 weeks :)Morning sickness: Nada.Symptoms: My lower extremities are sore/tired pretty much all the time. When I stand up from sitting, I feel like a 95 year old lady. Is this normal!?

Labor signs: I'm not really sure. I feel like I've had some really faint Braxton Hicks contractions but who knows.

Belly button in or out: The top half is pretty much sticking out and if I wear a tight shirt, you can see it poking out. ha!
What I miss: Sleeping on my back and stomach...in my own bed, in my bedroom, in frigid winter temperatures!

What I'm looking forward to: We're on the go again. We head back to MI today after work for two weddings on the same day. Both of our best friends just happen to be getting married on Saturday and we're both in each of them. Luckily, both weddings are in West Michigan (Grand Rapids and Holland) so we we won't be too far from each other in case anything exciting happens (which I'm sure it won't). I'm looking forward to Molly's big day...she's been waiting 8 or 9 years for this day!

Size and growth of our baby:Baby now weighs as much as aCANTALOUPE(I can't believe I'm in the large melon stages)!

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.